Groundhog Day Syndrome: Why Time Goes Faster as We Age

Does time fly by too quickly? Why?

In the movie, Groundhog Day, Bill Murray's character keeps reliving the same day over and over. As we age, time seems to pass more quickly. We find ourselves amazed that it's Groundhog Day again? Christmas already? And, of course, our birthdays seem to fly by.

According to experts on time perception, the reason that time seems to go more quickly is that we repeat the same routines and experience the same events over and over. Doing things for the first time typically leaves a lasting impression (remember your first day of school or a new job?), but as we repeat those events over and over they essentially leave little or no vivid memory, and time seems to fly by.

This "Groundhog Day Syndrome," as I like to call it, can be slowed down by changing your routines and trying new things. Each of those new experiences will leave a more vivid memory than doing the same thing over and over. For example, eating at the same fancy restaurant for every celebration leads to Groundhog Day Syndrome, try a new restaurant each time, and your celebrations will seem to last longer, and you will have a greater variety of memories.

I've written about this perception that time passes more quickly as you age, and other theories have been suggested. A common one is a sort of mathematical formula that focuses on the time we have lived - a sort of life "half-life." This theory suggests that when you are 10, the last five years seems long, because it is half of your life; and so on. But that theory doesn't explain why even shorter periods go faster as time moves on. For example, the first few days of your tropical vacation seem to go slowly (you are experiencing new things), but before you know it, the two weeks are up (same hotel, same beaches, another luau, etc.).

So, to combat Groundhog Day Syndrome, you need to break out of ruts, get out of the same routine (although we have to realize that there is some comfort in routines), and focus on the moment - make new, and lasting memories. Although routines may be familiar and comforting, they also lead to a perception that time is passing more quickly, and the world is passing us by.

As people age, even new things seem old because they seem similar to other things we've done. Childhood is full of freshness and joy because things are really new. Adulthood never has those childlike feelings because there are too many connections to stored knowledge for a given situation.

Hallucinagenic like marijuana may make time go slower because they confuse the brain enough so that it cannot make adequate connections to other things.

I wonder whether novelty makes time go slower because we're more present and have more attention on the environment.

It was interesting to read this theory on why time seems to pass faster with age. I don't agree with it, though it seems sensible. I do think time is experienced as passing faster with age, not just that it seems to. It really is doing for that person. I suspect that if you interview lots of people and can find a way of categorising how fast they describe time as passing for them, it will eventually prove to be a way of telling how much time they actually have left. I suspect time passes faster for people who are ageing faster, even though they may not appear to be ageing any faster to an outside observer.

Essentially, I don't think it can be put down to getting used to landmark occsions passing. Something different does happen with time in an ageing brain. I wish I had done the research to confirm this. I can only suspect it at the moment.

The theory is good. But, I do not entirely agree with it. Even with many new experiences every day, time appears to go by faster when we are older. Also, however, time appears to go by faster when (a) you are having fun (rather than being bored); (b) you are really-really busy (rather than doing nothing); and (c) you are not at your own disposal -- i.e. doing things on other people's behalf or for other people (rather than whatever you want), etc.

So, to connect the two, most people when they age have a lot more on their plate on their mind, than younger people. This, rather than span of life, may be responsible for us not slowing down, sitting down, being bored for a minute and "smelling the roses".

The theory is good. But, I do not entirely agree with it. Even with many new experiences every day, time appears to go by faster when we are older. Also, however, time appears to go by faster when (a) you are having fun (rather than being bored); (b) you are really-really busy (rather than doing nothing); and (c) you are not at your own disposal -- i.e. doing things on other people's behalf or for other people (rather than whatever you want), etc.

So, to connect the two, most people when they age have a lot more on their plate and on their mind, than younger people. This, rather than span of life, may be responsible for us not slowing down, sitting down, being bored for a minute and "smelling the roses".

We're socialised into routines from an early age. In fact the nature of life is filled with routine, processes incur repetitive actions, hence even if you wanted to get out of your rut and go travelling that would still introduce routines such as getting from a to b, booking hotels, visiting places etc. I think the reason time goes faster as you get older is because you have less of it, hence your more aware of it passing.